What if?
by The Demigod Wizard
Summary: "Peeta Mellark." I hesitated. "I volunteer as tribute!" Effie Trinket grinned. "Well, this is a sudden turn of events. Two volunteers from District Twelve. Now, what's your name, Honey?" "Gale Hawthorne."...My sister had the idea for Gale to volunteer for Peeta, so I wrote it and here it is! Please R&R!
1. I volunteer as Tribute!

"Peeta Mellark." I hesitated, then shouted, "I volunteer as tribute!" The crowd gasped. Effie Trinket grinned. "Well, this is a sudden turn of events. _Two _volunteers from District _Twelve. _Now, what's your name, Honey?"

"Gale Hawthorne."

"GALE HAWTHORNE," she announced, "THE MALE TRIBUTE FOR THE 74TH ANNUAL HUNGER GAMES."

No cheering. I looked over at Katniss, whose eyes were wide with fear. In many ways, it was stupid for me to compete in a fight to the death against my best friend, but it was my only way to protect her. "A round of applause for the tributes of District 12!" Dead silence.


	2. Goodbye

I heard a knock on the door, and I hugged my mother and each of my siblings. "You could win, Gale," Rory whispered. I hugged him, but I gave Mother a meaningful look. "If there's a way to get both of you out, I know you can come up with it," she whispered, and with that, the peacekeepers were pulling them away.

Next, the baker's son came in. Peeta looked at his feet. "Hey. Um, uh, thanks for volunteering for me," he mumbled, but we both knew why I'd volunteered. "Gale, you might be able to get out alive, the two of you. Just-protect her. She couldn't handle it if you died. Keep her-and yourself-alive." I looked at him. Here he was, having been in love with Katniss for years(it was obvious to me when someone liked her), and he was basically telling me to be with her. "You're a good guy, Peeta," I said. "I hope things work out for you."

"You, too." We shook hands, and the peacekeepers took him away.


	3. The Capitol

"Well," Katniss said on the train, "Why'd you do it?" I looked at her over the table. "You're my best friend. I don't want you in here alone." _Liar, _the voice inside me hissed. _She knows you're in love with her._ But she just smiled softly. "But-Gale," she said, frowning, "Only one of us can come out alive." I sighed. "We'll figure something out. We always do." I hugged her, and she hugged me back, tears prickling in the corners of her eyes.

As much as I hated the Capitol, I had to be smart. I had to eat their food rather than starve to death. Dinner was big and elaborate. A lemon-butter soup followed by a lamb and plum stew over rice, then a large loaf of Capitol bread-fluffy, moist, buttery bread-ending in a delicious, frozen milk dessert. "They call it ice cream," Haymitch muttered to me. "I nodded back. "Thanks." He sighed. "Other guys have had to go in with girls they loved before." He ran a hand through his thin, chocolate-brown hair. "Who?" "Not time for that now. I shouldn't be telling you this. Go to bed, Gage." "It's _Gale._" "Good night."

For the opening ceremony, my stylist, Portia, had me in a suit of fire.

The next few days went by fast. In training, Katniss got an 11 and I got a 12. She and I were quiet and we didn't talk much. We both knew that at least one of us was going to die. Soon, the last night-the night of the interviews-came.

Portia fixed my tomato-red, button-down shirt and my charcoal-black tie, then she slipped a dressy jacket over it. With this, I wore black pants and black loafers.

I barely listened to the other interviews. In Katniss' they talked about her dress and Prim. Now, mine was up.

"Hello, Gale!"

"Hi, Caesar."

"How do you like the Capitol?"

"Uh, the food is great, Sir."

He chuckled. "Indeed, it is." We talked for a little while after that.

"So, a handsome fella like yourself, you must have a girlfriend?"

"Well, Caesar, there _is _someone, but we're just friends. She doesn't like me that way."

"I'll tell you what-win the games, and she'll love you."

"I'm afraid that winning won't help in my case."

"Why?"

"Because, Caesar, she came here with me."

**(That last conversation is the one from the books-roughly-so this is going to be similar in a way; Gale Katniss and will pretend to be a couple. Will update soon.) **


	4. The Games begin

**A quick author's shout-out to my awesome sister, who gave me the original idea to make a story where Gale volunteered for Peeta. Here's the next chapter: **

A hand shoved me up against the wall. "You made me look weak!" Katniss hissed. I chuckled. "_No_, Catnip, I made you look-" "It's true," Haymitch moans. "You look desirable. You'll get loads of sponsors now." "Oh. Sorry, Gale. And-thanks." "No prob." I go to bed.

The next morning was the morning of the games. I was given a light green T-shirt, brown cargo shorts, a thick belt, and boots. "Find a water source," Haymitch whispered gruffly. Soon, my hovercraft was being pulled up, up, up...

30, 29, 28, 27, 26...13, 12, 11, 10, 9...3, 2, 1! I found myself running towards the Cornucopia. I scooped up 2 backpacks, 2 spears, a sword, a wire, and a bow with a set of arrows, then I ran away, fighting off people with the butt of one spear. I looked at Katniss, who was tugging on a loaf of bread, and I ran over to her. "NOW!" I screamed. She dropped the bread and grabbed a backpack. We both ran as fast as we could to a tree, then we both climbed up and decided to stay up there for the rest of the bloodbath.

That night, we were both hungry, thirsty and tired. The 13 faces flashed across the sky. "We'll get out of here," I whispered. We nibbled on some jerky and she slept while I kept watch. My thirst got worse in the night, so I took three canteens from the backpacks and bottle of iodine and I ran until I found a body of water. I filled up every canteen with water and iodine. I was stumbling back to our tree when I heard people talking.

"They must be around here somewhere."

"I hear somethin'. "

"Let's get rid of the star-crossed lovers, once and for all!"

I crawled through tangles of roots and hid out until they disappeared, then I hurried back to our tree and climbed up. Katniss woke up. "Your turn to sleep," she said. "I got water," I replied. We sipped the now-ready water and I fell asleep without protest.


End file.
